^-•^... 




o 











A^ 






^^-n^. V 









\ 












-^^^^ 




l^agabontr ©er«e 







Pnbatelf» ^vintth 



VAGABOND VERSE 






^ 



Olft 
OCT 26 W£ 



Nixon-Jones Printing Co., St. Louis, Mo. 



To C. W. G. 



'^ 

o 

--^ CONTENTS 

^ The Crazy Creek Uprising— 1909 Page Nine 

^ A Texas Wind Storm Page Ten 

Mexico— Take Warning! Page Eleven 

The Sergeant's Sweetheart: a True Tale 

Page Twelve 

Ciudad Jnarez Page Fifteen 

The National Hymn of Mexico, a Translation 

Page Sixteen 

The Golden Horn— a Memory Page Eighteen 

The Hostess House Page Nineteen 

St. Louis University Fleur-de-Lis Song— Page Twenty 
Delta Sigma Theta Banquet Song. . .Page Twenty-one 

For a Chapter Memory Book Page Twenty- two 

Be Industrious Page Twenty-three 

Lines in Despondency Page Twenty-four 

Death Page Twenty-five 

Lines on My Microscope Page Twenty-six 

Pleximetry Page Twenty-seven 

To the Girl of My Dreams Page Twenty-eight 



Seven 



THE CRAZY SNAKE UPRISING— 1909 

Out in the burr land, intrenched in the sand, 
Raided the Crazy Creeks — old Crazy Snake's band, 

Indians dangerous and wild; 
Believing the Council and Black Drink had lied, 
They were unruly through error and pride, 

Indians reckless and riled; 
They defied quelling with rifle or talk • 
And at inducements surely would balk, 

Indians wrongly beguiled. 
Hence the intrepid Mask5kes assembled in groups 
Raising a racket with rifles and bloodiest whoops, 
Waiting 'till medicine sorcers bewitched them to kill, 
While in a dance to arouse a big warrior skill. 
After the medicine dance and carousal were done 
Black Drink assembled his braves for the fun 
Bent in attacking the band of rebellious Creeks. 
So the bewitched and determined set out on the trail 
Leading to ambush and deadly lead hail. 
Thus the detachments kept stealthily on, 
Crawling thru gullies in darkness of dawn. 
Following scoutsmen engaged in the work 
Of finding the places where Crazy Creeks lurk. 
When the attackers discovered old Crazy Snake's place 
They quickly surrounded the bramblely space. 
While the revolvers and rifles were barking out lead 
Bravely the Maskokes kept forging ahead 
And captured all Crazy Snakes — living or dead. 

Camp Pike, Arkansas, 
July, 1918. 

Nine 



A TEXAS WIND STORM 

Have you ever met a Texas storm 
When it quickly starts to perform 
A sort of diabolical reform? 
Well, then, stranger, listen well 
And I will very briefly tell 
How a Texas wind storm whips 

Instanter loose from 

Well, it comes across ten townships 

In lesser time than I can cuss, 

And it rips and rips and rips 

'Til everything is clean a muss 

And youVe breathed a peck of the ranche's crust. 

For twenty minutes your baleing dust 

From throat and eyes — and lots mo' wuss 

'Tis to know your shakedown's going bust, 

While you're buried under the sandy gust. 

And you axe me what to do 

When the 'tarnal wind is through? 

Well fust dig out yourself and boss. 

Then ride around a mile or two, 

Mebby you'll find some things you've los'. 

Camp Stewart, Texas, 
November, 1916. 



Ten 



MEXICO— TAKE WAENING! 

Yon are bloody, you are cruel, 

Cruel, bloody Mexico! 
On your towns the bandits ply. 
In their streets the widows cry; 
All your honesty ^s a lie — 

Mexico. 

You are sensual, you are rotten, 

Rotten, sensual Mexico! 
You will level all to dust, 
And 3^our grafting leaders must 
Die in sordedness and lust — 

Mexico. 

You are crumbled, you are humbled. 
Humbled, crumbled Mexico! 

Yourdictators ' laws and lies 

Vanish when the peons rise; 

For Justice lives but Falsehood dies — 
Mexico. 

You are ignorant and hauty, 

Hauty, ignorant Mexico, 
On you a nation's w^ill is set, 
And their arms will fell you yet — 
For atrocities it can't forget. 
Righteousness permits no tyrant's hall, 
Indignation leaves no gibbet wall, 
For they correct and conquor all — 
Mexico. 

El Paso, Texas, 

July, 1916. 

Eleven 



THE SERGEANT'S SWEETHEART 

A True Tale — Mexican Border Concentration, 1916 
First I'll write of regiments well manned, 

Troops of thirty thriving states, 
And how they spread on stretch of somber sand 

At a troubled nation's gates, 
All along the winding Rio Grande, 
Made a mighty military hand, 

Stretched to save degenerates. 

These men from mart and meadow mustered, glad 

Servants of a nation's need; 
And readily responding, every lad 

Sprung to follow captain's lead, 
Thus honoring the parents made sad 
When their boys departed to curb the mad 

Chiefs' and bandits' guileful greed. 

Quartered on a common camping ground. 

And fellowed by a soldier's day. 
Countless kinds of Clay and Class were found. 

Leavened to a ranked array: 
Sacrificing merchants, doctors, bound 
With the careless, constant-pleasure hound, 

And many loosing higher pay. 

During the morning's hot and dragging hours. 
Trod the troops on trackless plains 

Strewn with shrub, mesquite and cactus flowers, 
All thirsting for torrential rains — 

From the fast collecting cloud that lowers 

Off the mountain ridge that steeply towers 
Into heaven's lambent lanes. 

Twelve 



In the long and languid, listless nights, 
Gathered groups of goodly friends. 

Holding meeting under starry lights. 
Listening to a tale that ends 

Merrily in rousing drinking rites. 

Or reveals the labor, love and sights 
To which inclination bends. 

Songs and showy stories alternate 
With accounts of home and heart, 

Or a nature-lover would relate 
Why the lizards lighthly dart, 

(For a fly or from a foe), or wait 

Motionlessly basking out their fate. 
In a rocky, arid part. 

One of the stories told about a maid 
Whom a sergeant loved in years agone 

And how he hid his hopes and heart, and paid 
For all her whims, as tlio' a pawn; 

Then a better situation made 

Him rich, but too late to give him aid 
For the fickle girl was gone. 

This narration led a lonely lad 

To describe a Gift of Chance, 
Which in recent hours had made him glad 

Through a sunny, fetching glance. 
She was charming, chaste and cause of mad 
Love and hope in hearts however sad: 

Verily she did entrance. 



Thirteen 



Sucli account attracted all intent 
And sent two soldiers soon to see 
The enchantress who had lent 

Godliness to gayety. 
First she would not meet them, but unbent, 
When she learned that both were recent 

Friends of full integrity. 

What? The sergeant was the welcome guest! 

For he found his former friend 
In this girl, who gave, we're told, the best 

Granted greeting that could mend 
Former sadness in a lover, blessed 
Again with hopes which he now confessed — 

Hence by now she has his socks to mend. 

Camp Stewart, Texas, 
August, 1916. 



Fourteen 



CIUDAD JUAEEZ 
(Cuidad del Paso del Norte) 

Near where a rolling range of mountains give 

The shallow Eio Grande a pass, 
There lies a village where the people live 

By Mexico's dry Northern pass. 

Its people come from ancient Spanish stock 

With mixture of the Indian race, 
And all their movements, thoughts and petty trade 

Are made in slow and tickle pace. 

The village whitens under cloudless sky, 

A flat and plain adobe mass ; 
It huddles on an arid mesa by 

A clump of trees and prairie grass. 

Its only beauty is at purple dawn. 
Or evenings red and gliding close — 

Then it seems to be by magic drawn, 
A mountain valley's only rose. 

Fort Bliss, Texas, 
December, 1916. 



Fifteen 



THE NATIONAL HYMN OF MEXICO 
A Translation 

Mexicans at the loud cry of war, 
Your swords and your steeds assemble, 

For the earth to its center shall tremble 
At the sonorous roar of the canon, 

And the earth to its center shall tremble. 
At the sonorous roar of the canon. 

Raise, Fatherland, thy olive bough temples: 

The devine archangles of peace; 
For in the heavens thy eternal lease 

By the finger of God is written. 
That in the heavens thy destiny's lease 

By the finger of God is written. 

But if boldly a hostile stranger. 

Profanes with his heel thy fair lee; 

Think, Fatherland, how heaven will give thee 
A soldier in each of thy sons, 
A soldier in each of thy sons. 

El Paso, Texas, 
October, 1916. 



Sixteen 



HIMNO NACIONAL DE MEXICO 

Mexicanos al grito de guerra, 
El acero aprestad y el bridon, 

Y retiemble en sus centres la tierra 
Al sonoro rugir del canon. 

Y retiemble en sus centres la tierra 
Al sonoro rugir del canon. 

Cina, oh patria, tus sienes de oliva, 
De la paz el archangel divino 

Que en el cielo tu eterno destino 
Por el dedo de Dios es escribio 

Que en el cielo tu eterno destino 
Por el dedo de Dios es escribio. 

Mas si osare un estrano enemigo 
Profanar con su planta tu suelo, 

Piensa, oh patria, querida que el cielo 
Un soldado en cada hijo te dio, 
Un soldado en cada hi jo te dio. 



Seventeen 



THE GOLDEN HORN— A MEMORY 

My mind toniglit is far afliglit 

Musing on a gorgeous sight; 

It is of Frisco's bay and gilded Horn 

On a sierran summer morn, 

When nature painted hills and sea 

And gave America a Cashmeran lea. 

Once I saw Palermo's lovely color plays, 

And watched the hoary Alpine peaks in all their glory ; 

I've sailed Vesuvian and Dalmatian bays. 

And had the Brunnig valley spread before me. 

But among enchanting vistas I have seen, 

I repine the one of Frisco's elfin scene. 

Camp Pike, Ark., 
July, 1918. 



Eighteen 



THE HOSTESS HOUSE 

Hid in a cool spot, shady and green plot 

Close to the barrack array, 
Lays the attractive, home-like and massive 
Bnngalow where women folk live — 

Charming', snug Hostess House. 

Giving a kind womanly home touch 

Dear to the hearts of the boys; and 
Gladly befriending the ladies and mothers 
Who are out visiting husbands and brothers- 
Cozy, bright Hostess House. 

Camp Pike, Ark., 
August, 1918. 



Nineteen 



SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY FLEUR-DE-LIS 

SONO 

The fleur-de-lis' royal blue, 

Has long years stood for power 
And grace and love and culture, 

Rare blessings in a sbower. 
And beneath the glorious splendor 

The blue and white doth shed 
She is still a challenger 

To those whom she hath led. 
So through long years of college 

With help at every turn 
Comes the charm of erudition 

For which we warmly yearn. 
That we may win life's victories 

And earn through our own U. 
The choicest blessings of this life 

To deck the white and blue. 
That we may win life's victories 

And earn through our own U. 
The choicest blessings of this life 

To deck the white and blue. 

Chorus 
As trials of life o'erwhelm us. 

Turning fast our hair to white. 
And cherished hopes deceive us 

In Fortune's beguiling plight. 
We'll forget our cares and sadness 

And let memory wander free 
To recall these days of gladness 

Crowned by the fleur-de-lis. 
To recall these days of gladness 

Crowned by the fleur-de-lis. 
St. Louis, Mo., July, 1911. 

Twenty 



DELTA SIGMxl THETA BANQUET SONG 

Come along, and sing a song 

Of happy days of yore 
When we all were college chums 

In search of classic lore. 
Gather 'round and linger 'round 

A good fraternal feast, 
Swap some tales of college pranks, 

A score or more, at least. 

Tell again, and sing again. 

Of care-free days now gone, 
Of happy hours together spent 

On campus, field or lawn. 
Joke about and laugh about 

Funny stunts and stags, 
Relating all the curious deeds 

Of chapter wits and wags. 

Chorus 
So then we'll drink, boys! drink! 

To friendship that will last; 
Happy whene'er we think 

Of our brothers of the past. 

And now we'll drink, boys! drink! 

To comrades that are here. 
And sing the songs that make us think 

Of past events so dear. 

St. Louis, Mo., 
September, 1911. 

Twenty-one 



FOR A CHAPTER MEMORY BOOK 

I'll burden not these tell-tale pages 
With records of the weary strife, 

For discomforts are soon forgotten 
If not recalled to life. 

Then let this hook record the days 

We spent in merriment, 
And may it ne'r recall the days 

Of willful devilment. 

For this life is what we make it — 
A day of pleasant thought 

Or a life of endless misery 
With sad memories frought. 



St. Louis, Mo., 
December, 1909. 



Twenty-two 



BE INDUSTRIOUS 

Life's troubled hours are passing fast, 

The days soon slip away, 
And man's strong arm must rest at last 

So let it toil today. 

Then let's improve our time today, 

In every goodly way, 
For which of us can hope to say 

Our work will not repay. 

If you respect the weak, and pray, 

And labor hard each day. 
Your future course will surely lay 

Along a happy, honored way. 



El Paso, Texas, 
November, 1916. 



Txoenty^tJiree 



LINES IN DESPONDENCY 

When the reverses of faihire are casting a toll 
On the convictions and strength of yonr sonl, 
Let not ambition be blighted away 
Or the intention to strive for that day 
Crowned by the tasks of the larger and nobler roll 
That is awarded a man in the fray. 

For it is proven that manliness lays in a mind 
That is atuned to a purpose and keeps at the grind 
Laughing at troubles and striving to serve 
Wins approbations for those who preserve 
Stoutness of heart and a strong inclination to find 
Pleasure in toiling to strengthen their nerve. 

Camp Dodge, Iowa, 
June, 1918. 



Twenty-four 



DEATH 

Hope sinks into silence — the story is told — 

The features are darkened, the heart \s blood is cold. 

A life is completed and closed like the day. 

And God who gave it, hath taken it away. 

Pale grows the visage, and snuifed is life's fire, 

Grief fades into silence as loved ones retire. 

Darker and darker the sad shadows fall, 

As death's deep sorrow lays claim over all. 

Mournfully, solemnly sounding its dole, 

The funeral bell is beginning to toll. 

St. Louis, Mo., 
January, 1910. 



Twenty-five 



LINES ON MY MICROSCOPE 

See that tube of burnished brass 
With its doors of crystal glass! 
Making an Aladin pass 

To dominions microscopic. 

It reveals at my command 
Structures of an unknown land, 
Giving to a mortal's hand 

Franchise in a world exotic. 

Its eye for deepest mystery, 

And teachings free from sophistry, 

Reveal the race's history. 

To delight the philosophic. 

Offspring of ingenious mind, 
Lifter of a pristine blind. 
Ever ready like its kind, 

Yielding services dioptric. 

This device with form and virtues fair, 
Faithful searcher of life's hidden lair. 
Claims tribute of praises rare. 
Instrument so scientific! 



Boston, Mass., 
June, 1911. 



Twenty-six 



PLEXIMETRY 

Hear the tapping, tapping on a flattened chest, 
And the rapping, rapping on a wasted breast ; 
How the striking over pulmonary zones 
And the notes and pitch in dull and shortened tones 
Gives a fateful revelation of pulmonary excavation 
When the tuneless resonation wells. 

With the falling, falling of an agile finger 
Comes the knowledge why the cough and weakness 
linger. 
For the patient *s consummation is a fatal infesta- 
tion. 

Of which the slow examination tells. 
Thus by deft and clever tapping 
We come to learn of what is sapping 

Strength and tissue fast away. 

Philadelphia General Hospital, 
June, 1916. 



Twenty-seven 



TO THE GIRL OF MY DREAMS 

With joy your virtues I exalt, 

Though unaware what they may be, 

And then each charming little fault, 
You may-hap have, is dear to me. 

Sweetheart, I sure would praise 
Your lovely eyes, if I but knew. 

From meeting once their tolerant gaze. 
What color forms their glorious hue. 

And some mention of your hair 

I'd like to make — its braid and curl — 

But then, though you're my sweetheart fair, 
Alas! you're still the unmet girl! 

I wildly yearn to tell you how 
I love the very thought of you, 

For that is all I can love now — 
Until you come within my view. 

February, 1910. 



Twenty-eight 



% 










,V -^ 






.-^'' * 




,*lo. 














wo"^ *l:^% ''O 




V'^' 





*-^^ * 












^ ..V 






\ ^.^^ :i^ 
















I. N ♦ 



-ir^^v 



''V'^\0'>' X-.^-'-y '^o^'^-.o^ -^ .. 

^°:-..=^. ..<^^^% /.:.«:.-.=:.. /'^*;;'% 







■- %• 







.^ ..■''^• 



\ 









c » " • ♦ <^ O^ • " • 



%c^' 



f O " 9 . ^ 




.Or 



^,i^.(^ 



^.- ..>^*- ^-^. ^^-i- /A";-^'""-, .^■'''^'^i? 

%"^;- 




JUM 73 



SiS^ N. MANCHE: 



.^: ;^ 






-:*^ 



^m'- ""-n. 



